1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical (including electronic) equipment, more particularly to external electrical wires (including cables and power cords) connected to such equipment, and still more particularly to connector restraints associated with such external electrical wires.
2. Background Discussion
Known electrical power output equipment, such as AC power distributors and power controllers, are constructed for providing electrical power to other electrical equipment which may include power supplies, computers, printers and disc drives. To accomplish this, typical AC electrical power output equipment has installed in an equipment enclosure wallxe2x80x94usually the rear wallxe2x80x94several, often as many as eight, AC electrical outlet connectors into which can be plugged various external AC electrical equipment for receiving electrical power from the power output equipment.
The electrical power output equipment typically has installed in the equipment""s same enclosure wall an AC electrical input connector into which a power cord is plugged for supplying power, for example, from an external power strip or directly from a power utility outlet, to the power output equipment and thus to the other electrical equipment plugged into the AC power outlet connectors. Illustrative of such AC power output equipment is the model TPC 884-1 power controller, manufactured by Pulizzi Engineering Inc. of Santa Ana, Calif., which has a single AC power inlet connector and a row of eight closely-spaced IEC-type AC power outlet connectors in an enclosure rear wall.
Ordinarily, AC power output equipment is installed in a conventional equipment rack along with other electrical equipment, for example, equipment connected by power cords or power cables plugged into the power output equipment for being powered thereby.
It can be appreciated that the rear region of most equipment racks are, therefore, typically draped with numerous, often entangled power cords, at least some of which may be relatively long and thus relatively heavy in weight. As a result of personnel working behind the equipment racks to install, remove, interconnect or service equipment in the racks some of the power cords are often accidentally dislodged from their associated equipment. In addition, the weight of some power cords may cause them to become unplugged by themselves, especially if the equipment racks are located in an environment subject to vibration, as in many airborne and ship applications.
In this regard it should be noted that because of usual space limitations neither input or output AC power connectors nor the power cords plugged into them are ordinarily provided with any integral locking mechanism, such as the locking screws or clips associated with many computer and printer interconnecting cable plugs.
Because of the often large number of pieces of electrical equipment mounted in the equipment racks and the associated often large number of power cords powering all the equipment, the proper reconnection of loose power cords is often a problem and some reconnection mistakes, resulting in equipment malfunction, may be expected to occur.
It is, therefore, a principal objective of the present invention to provide for connector restraint to prevent unintended disconnection of power cords or the like from the electrical equipment and also for managing power cords or wires that supply power to and receive power from, or otherwise connect to, associated electrical equipment.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a connector restraint device for restraining electrical wire end connectors plugged into connectors installed in an electrical equipment enclosure wall, and for tying down electrical wires attached to the electrical wire end connectors, the enclosure having a front wall, a rear wall and opposite first and second side walls. The connector restraint device comprises an elongate wire support and tie-down angle having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg depending from the horizontal leg, each of the horizontal and vertical legs being formed having a number of closely spaced apertures along the legs, the apertures being sized for receiving conventional wire ties.
Included are means for detachably attaching the wire support and tie-down angle to the electrical equipment enclosure with the wire support and tie-down angle parallel to and spaced away from the enclosure wall in which said connectors are installed, with the horizontal leg parallel to the enclosure wall in which the connectors are installed at a height corresponding to said connectors so that electrical wires connected to the connectors can be extended generally horizontally over the horizontal leg. The wire support and tie-down angle is formed so that the vertical leg depends from an edge of the horizontal leg that is closest to the enclosure when the wire support and tie-down angle is attached to the enclosure.
Preferably, the wire support and tie-down angle has an overall width that is equal to that of the enclosure wall in which the connectors are installed. Also preferably, the horizontal and vertical legs of the wire support and tie-down angle have transverse widths between about 0.63 inch and about 0.75 inch.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connectors are installed in the rear wall of the enclosure and the detachable attaching means attaches the wire support and tie-down angle spaced rearward about three inches from the enclosure rear wall.
It is preferred that the detachable attaching means include an elongate connector restraint device base portion to which the wire support and tie-down angle is joined and first and second elongate side flanges joined to opposite ends of the base portion, the side flanges being configured for lying along and attaching to respective ones of the first and second side walls of the enclosure.
The enclosure includes sidewardly extending equipment rack attachment angles at opposite side edges of the enclosure front wall; distal end regions of each of the first and second elongate side flanges are angled sidewardly so as to fit against corresponding ones of the enclosure equipment rack attachment angles.
The wire support and tie-down angle, the base portion and the first and second side flanges are preferably constructed from a structural material having a thickness of at least about 0.0598 inch.
Alternatively, the electrical connectors may be installed in the front wall of the equipment enclosure and the detachable attaching means is configured for attaching the wire support and tie-down angle spaced forward about three inches from the enclosure front wall.
The enclosure has sidewardly extending equipment rack attachment angles at opposite side edges of the front wall, and the detachable attaching means includes a connector restraint device base portion to which the wire support and tie-down angle is joined and first and second side flanges connected to opposite ends of the base portion with distal end regions of each of the first and second side flanges angled sidewardly so as to fit against corresponding ones of the enclosure equipment rack attachment angles.
The wire support and tie-down angle, base portion and the first and second side flanges are also preferably constructed from a structural material having a thickness of at least about 0.0598 inch.
More specifically, there is provided a rear-mount connector restraint device for restraining electrical wire end connectors plugged into connectors installed in a rear wall of an electrical equipment enclosure, and for tying down electrical wires attached to the electrical wire end connectors, the enclosure also having a front wall and opposite first and second side walls. The rear-mount connector restraint device comprises an elongate base portion and a wire support and tie-down angle joined to the base portion. The wire support and tie-down angle is formed having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg depending from the horizontal leg, each of the horizontal and vertical legs having a number of closely spaced quadrilateral, preferably square, apertures along the legs sized for receiving conventional wire ties.
Included are first and second elongate side flanges joined to opposite ends of the connector restraint device base portion, the side flanges being configured for lying along and attaching to respective ones of the enclosure first and second side walls with the wire support and tie-down angle parallel to and spaced rearward about three inches from the enclosure rear wall and with the horizontal leg parallel to said enclosure rear wall at a height corresponding to the connectors so that electrical wires connected to the connectors can be extended generally horizontally over the horizontal leg. The wire support and tie-down angle is formed so that the vertical leg of the angle depends from an edge of the horizontal leg that is closest to the enclosure rear wall when the angle is attached to the enclosure.
Preferably, the connector restraint device base portion and the wire support and tie-down angle have an overall width that is equal to that of the enclosure rear wall and the horizontal and vertical legs of the wire support and tie-down angle have transverse widths between about 0.63 inch and about 0.75 inch.
The enclosure has sidewardly extending equipment rack attachment angles at opposite side edges of the front wall; distal end regions of each of the first and second elongate side flanges are angled sidewardly so as to fit against corresponding ones of the enclosure equipment rack attachment angles.
It is preferred that the connector restraint device base portion, the wire support and tie-down angle and the first and second side flanges are constructed from a structural material having a thickness of at least about 0.0598 inch.
In a variation, there is provided a front-mount connector restraint device for restraining electrical wire end connectors plugged into connectors installed in a front wall of an electrical equipment enclosure, and for tying down electrical wires attached to said electrical wire end connectors, the enclosure also having a rear wall and opposite first and second side walls. The front-mount connector restraint device comprises an elongate base portion having joined thereto an elongate wire support and tie-down angle having a horizontal leg and a vertical leg depending from the horizontal leg, each of the horizontal and vertical legs being formed having a number of closely spaced apertures along the legs sized for receiving conventional wire ties.
Included are first and second side flanges joined to opposite ends of the connector restraint device base portion. The enclosure has sidewardly extending equipment rack attachment angles at opposite side edges of the front wall, and distal end regions of each of the first and second side flanges are angled sidewardly so as to fit against corresponding ones of the enclosure equipment rack attachment angles with the wire support and tie-down angle parallel to and spaced forward about three inches from the enclosure front wall and with the horizontal leg parallel to the enclosure front wall at a height corresponding to the connectors so that electrical wires connected to the connectors can be extended generally horizontally over the horizontal leg.
The wire support and tie-down angle is formed so that the vertical leg of the angle depends from an edge of the horizontal leg that is closest to the enclosure front wall when the angle is attached to the enclosure.
Preferably, the base portion and the wire support and tie-down angle have an overall width that is equal to that of the enclosure front wall and the horizontal and vertical legs of the wire support and tie-down angle have transverse widths between about 0.63 inch and about 0.75 inch. Also preferably, the base portion, the wire support and tie-down angle and the first and second side flanges are constructed from a structural material having a thickness of at least about 0.0598 inch.
Both the rear-mount and front-mount connector restraint devices are universal and cost effective devices that provide effective electrical wire end connector restraint and connecting wire management for electrical wires plugged into electrical equipment enclosure walls.